Garlic scapes are the tips that emerge from the center of the plant in spring as it attempts to form a flower and seed. Harvesting it before it has flowered, it is a culinary treat!
Garlic Scape Pesto
1 bunch of garlic scapes, tops removed with ½ -inch of stem left and reserved for pickling, stems roughly chopped ½ cup extra virgin olive oil Juice of one lemon Salt, to taste (I didn’t have any celery leaves on hand, but if I had I would have added about ½ cup)
Put all of these ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Note: I tasted the pesto just like this and thought that it was alright, but once I added it to the freshly cooked pasta, the heat brought out the flavor immensely
To make the pasta, I prepared the fava beans to the second shelled stage, marinated the shrimp in lemon juice and salt, and cooked the spring onions on medium-low heat until soft and caramelized. Then, while boiling pasta, I cooked the shrimp in a skillet in some brown butter. Stir it all together and serve with a chilled glass of white wine. Bon Appetit!